As summer travel increases across Tennessee and Georgia, law enforcement agencies are stepping up traffic enforcement and urging motorists to slow down behind the wheel.
Georgia and Tennessee have joined Alabama, South Carolina and Florida for the annual Operation Southern Slow Down, a weeklong campaign targeting speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors on major highways and interstates.
State troopers and local law enforcement officers will increase patrols throughout the region during the campaign, with a focus on reducing crashes caused by excessive speed.
Officials say previous Operation Southern Slow Down campaigns have resulted in tens of thousands of speeding citations and thousands of arrests across the participating states.
The Georgia State Patrol and Tennessee Highway Patrol say the initiative is designed to prevent deadly crashes and help travelers reach their destinations safely during one of the busiest travel periods of the summer.
Law enforcement officials remind drivers that speeding significantly increases both the likelihood and severity of crashes, often turning what could have been a minor collision into a fatal or life-altering incident. Motorists are encouraged to obey posted speed limits, avoid aggressive driving, eliminate distractions and allow extra travel time to reach their destinations safely.